INSIDE THE NCAA.

St. John's, Osu Enjoy The Moment

March 20, 1999|By Gary Reinmuth, Tribune Staff Writer.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien and St. John's coach Mike Jarvis have a rivalry with roots in Beantown.

For four years--1986 to 1990--O'Brien coached at Boston College while Jarvis was at Boston University. O'Brien liked Jarvis, and respected him as a person and a peer. But as a coach, O'Brien went out of his way to avoid him.

Jarvis didn't take it personallyy because he understood the city's basketball pecking order: Celtics, Boston College, Boston University. And a Big East team had nothing to gain risking its reputation against an intracity rival from the America East Conference.

"I wouldn't have played BU if I was at BC either," Jarvis said.

Now, however, O'Brien won't be able to dodge Jarvis any longer, and he doesn't mind a bit. O'Brien's Buckeyes (26-8) will meet Jarvis' Red Storm (28-8) in the South Regional final Saturday.

Neither team seems to believe it's here. Consequently, neither team has anything to lose: Ohio State will be seeking its first berth in the Final Four since 1968. St. John's last trip was in 1985.